Patrick G. Ryan, Photographer and Photo Editor

12/18/200912/18/2009

’09 Photo Year In Review: #1. January 2009

12/18/09 I thought I’d take a quick jog down memory lane and post some of the favorite photos I shot in 2009. The big story in January was the obviously the inauguration of America’s first African American president, Barack Obama. My images from that event are somewhat tangential as I’d been hired to shoot the inaugural parade and the parties but not the swear-in at the Capitol. I was actually happy about this because I’d photographed the swear-ins in 2001 and 2005 and the weather conditions were absolutely miserable. There was freezing rain in ’01 and one of my Nikons actually froze (it didn’t start working again until I put it in front of a heater for an hour or so). The ’05 swear-in was sunny but sub zero. I was able to stay a bit warmer this year because I could duck inside heated buildings. I started work on Inauguration Day at 5 am to photograph marchers loading into buses to take part in the parade. The group I was shooting finally marched past me down Pennsylvania Ave. at 5 pm, just as it got dark. It struck me that the crowds along the route were very calm and not as wildly jubilant as downtown DC was on election night. They were not so much celebrating as paying witness.

01/13/09 Setting up folding chairs on the West front lawn of the U.S. Capitol in preparation for the Inaugural next Tuesday.

01/20/09 Vendor sleeping in a tent at dawn on Inauguration Day. His t-shirt stand was on 16th Street close to the White House.

01/20/09 The Ambassador of Canada (white hair) waves at the new President of the United States (in the limo top right) from the steps of the Canadian Embassy with an honor guard of Mounties.

01/20/09 Actress Glenn Close playing backgammon in the Game Room at the Google Inaugural Ball

01/19/09 Actor Toby McQuire gets choked up by Rep. John Lewis’ speech at Service Nation breakfast.

Just as important to me as my news and feature images of Washington are my personal photos. Here’s a couple from January . . .

My friends Jade and Indrid wrestling among the coats at the Ryan Bros. “Yes, U Can” U Street Champagne Cocktail Party on 01/16. Props to Jade for keeping her champagne flute upright during the brawl. She did not spill a drop.

Snowy scene on my family’s farm in Upstate NY.

Heathen no more! The baptism of my nephew Eamonn Thomas on the 25th of January in the Year Of Our Lord 2009. That’s my brother Mike and his wife Beth holding their nephew and godson.